UN rights chief warns Gaza remains raise concerns of Israeli war crimes

The UN human rights chief Volker Turk has expressed growing concerns over possible Israeli war crimes in Gaza, as the recovery of bodies under the rubble of buildings destroyed by Israeli strikes continues. Mr Turk stated, "The remains of what appears to be entire families are now being unearthed at locations that were pulverised by Israeli attacks," expressing worry that the recovered remains may only be a small fraction of the total.

Since November 2023, over 630 body parts have been recovered from beneath destroyed buildings, with an estimated 8,000 people still missing. At a site in Az Zeitoun, south-east of Gaza city, 96 bodies were recovered, including 58 children and 23 women. Mr Turk emphasized the heartbreak of loved ones finally confirming their worst fears and called for evidence of potential violations to be preserved, urging international investigators to be granted access to Gaza.

He also highlighted Israel's obligation under international law to search for missing individuals and recover the dead in a dignified manner. In 2024, a UN Human Rights Office report raised concerns over Israeli strikes using heavy bombs potentially violating international humanitarian law. The UN special rapporteur on human rights in Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, suggested gathering evidence and identifying remains before any clearance of rubble.